International Media Studies Vol 3
Published by International Institute for Journalism / GIZ & Deutsche Welle
May 2011
Youth in Berlin – The kids are alright! The man who makes the balls go mad Page 2
Female, 21, Mormon, seeks devoted mate Page 2
Chasing dreams, landing careers Page 3
Berlin goes Bollywood Page 4
A young debate: Who owns the city?
A
photo: Berlin-ist-toll.de
scene of alternative tion – taken up especially by youth charm at Görlitzer Park – is polarising the German capital, in Kreuzberg, Berlin: A as ever-increasing housing costs young woman rests on a couch and rent are pushing out the origioutside an old building. Howevnal tenants, especially in eastern er, the idyll is questionable: Not Berlin regions. Areas such as the only was this building squatted fashionable Prenzlauer Berg for a long time before being have already experienced turned into “Edelweiss,” a several waves of gentrificaclub-lounge, but also the tion: Yuppies took over very neighbors of “Görhousing from alternali” park on the Spree tive young parents, River – many of them who in turn drove Turkish immigrants out the original – protested against eastern German the influx of inhabitants a loud mudecade ago. sic and even “Wir bleiben drug dealers alle hier” (we Attention, eviction! A mock sign by in their midst. will all stay), creative urban activists Who owns the insists an accity, and who is entitled to dwell tivist’s blog against urban expulwhere? Two decades after reunision. In June 2011, an entire city fication, the debate about genevent with 40 workshops is to be trification is probably the single dedicated to the issue. Slogans and most important topic in Berlin, a campaigns like the warning sign city of 3.4 million, where almost above can be seen all over the city: a fifth of the population is under Attention, eviction! The debate 25. This urban issue of gentrificaand protest are here to stay.
In or out in the urban jungle of Berlin? The right to living space has created huge conflicts and discussion
Party politics
M ayday, M ay D ay!
Every year, the same dilemma: It‘s May 1 in Berlin, and everyone’s invited By Sonya Angelica Diehn and Myles Tweedie
Berlin for nearly the past quarter neighborhood rebellion as a symof a century. bol of resistance. Berlin politicians Partying, rioting and political and residents initiated the Kreuzhe first thing that hits you expression: what can we make of berg MyFest in 2003 to defuse the is the beat. This rhythm, it when these volatile ingredients riots – the event highlights live mupounding like a heart, that mix? “One thing is obvious,” says sic and food, along with political inenvelops your body and makes Simon Teune, a doctoral candiformation. (See info box.) you want to move along. There’s date at the Social Science Research “The street is used as a stage,” something very powerful about Center in Berlin: “The way people says Teune. To him, all of May Day dancing and moving as a crowd; get politically active is changing.“ in Kreuzberg becomes a ritual, the electronic music builds to a But to him, the annual May 1 phewhere people can publicly display crescendo, there’s this tiny pause, nomenon doesn’t reflect then when the beat hits again, mere disruption. Contrayou’re jumping and ry to the widepumping along with spread view “The way everyone. This aspect that youth are young people i n c r e a s i n g l y of music and dancing is a central part of the get politically politically apaMyFest, which draws thetic, Teune active is thousands of people sees youth as – mostly youth – to preferring to changing.“ Berlin on the 1 of get involved May every year. with specific Roughly one city block away, campaigns rather than another gathering is taking place. organisations. Young The thousands of people here people gather at protests – also mostly youth – march toto build shared experigether through the streets, carences, he says. rying banners and calling out The 1 of May, also chants: against repression, against known as May Day or exploitation, and fundamentally, International Workers’ against authority. They’re callDay, traditionally is a ing for change. You can feel paspublic holiday in many sion and conviction in the crowd. countries. But in the There’s also an undercurrent of Berlin borough of Kreuzprovocation and aggression. This berg, with its history of latter element – stemming not just alternative communities, from political factions – becomes May 1 has developed stronger over the course of the into its own happening. march. It climaxes in battles with Rioting there became police and the smashing of glass, an annual tradition after which have become synonymous 1987 when autonomist When anger turns to violence: What’s the with protests on the 1 of May in movements adopted a future of the May Day demonstrations?
photo: Myles tweedie
T
their identity and play out their roles in society – some festive, some provocative. “This is very relevant for the development of a political human being,” Teune adds. “The 1 of May is the battle day. I don’t think there’s any other day where so many demonstrations take place, where people take to the streets for their ideals,” says “Kai-Uwe,” a 27-year-old Berlin activist who took part in the demonstration. Kai-Uwe admits that riots often emerge from the protests. But this gets distorted, he claims. “To the media, we’re just the ones who want to riot. But we’re not here for fun – we really want to change things,” Kai-Uwe insists. In contrast, Daniel, a 23-yearold Londoner who happened to be in Berlin visiting friends over the weekend, came out more or less as a tourist looking for action, or “anything interesting happening.” He’s not politically active, he says, and didn’t even see the demonstration. But he would definitely come back, “for the people and the music.” Zacharias, who is 21 and from Berlin, probably represents the majority of those at the events. He supports political campaigns, but came there more for party than politics. He was dancing rather than demonstrating. How was it? “It was great.” More info on history: www.erstermai.dgb.de/article/ articleview/4443/2/352
■ May 1 in the United States of America was long known as “moving day,” when employment contracts were signed, renegotiated or cancelled. ■ Labour unions in the USA organized mass strikes on May 1 in the late 1800s, calling for an eight-hour working day. ■ Many countries around the world adopted May 1 as a public holiday to honor workers’ rights. May Day in Kreuzberg, Berlin ■ 1987: Unemployment and political discontent contributed to conflict with authorities. Radical leftists and police clashed; heavy rioting took place. This became an annual occurrence. ■ 2003: Politicians and local residents searching for a way to reduce tensions and rioting initiated the “MyFest.” The annual street fair features live music, food and political stands, and emphasises a peaceful atmosphere. ■ 2011: Up to 20,000 people visited more than 250 stands, with the Kreuzberg borough budgeting 150,000 euros for the event. Anti-fascist and autonomous groups held a “revolutionary demonstration” in the evening. Police say 9,000 people took part; organizers put the figure at 13,000. Around 6,000 police officers were deployed for the event.